While things are occurring around the world like a serious three year civil war in Syria with millions of refugees spread across the region, there is Al-Qaeda in control again in Fallujah and maybe Ramadi (next door), Iraq, conflict in the newly created South Sudan, and a precarious security situation in Russia surrounding the Sochi Winter Olympics, there are other things back in the United States that has current attention drawn to them. Elections are coming up in Afghanistan.
The Seattle Seahawks dominate the Denver Broncos in the Meadowlands of New York/New Jersey (excuse me commercial movers: MetLife Stadium?) and Peyton Manning is 1-2 in the biggest show in American football.
A notable actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman is found dead on his apartment toilet with a syringe in his arm at age 46. Also in New York, an artistic area of Greenwich Village.
Obamacare, or officially the "Affordable Health Care Act", is wending its way through hearts and minds, to very mixed results. A lot of people do feel lied to with low confidence in the president (POTUS) while others believe justice is being meted out.
We shall see.
But then there is college basketball.
Indiana beats MICHIGAN! Previously undefeated in the BiG10 (8-0) Wolverines. In Bloomington granted, yes a home game, but as previously blogged by yours truly, a large hurdle towards respectability. Going to the right dance in March, not the second tier.
We shall see.
I did blog about previously unblemished Arizona going down to the Cal Bears on Saturday (yay '76 IU team), and how it is up to both Syracuse and Wichita State to lose now in 2014 to keep that Bob Knight team intact, from a full generation ago, when I was barely old enough to remember.
Yogi Ferrell, sophomore extraordinaire, went 7 of 8 from three point land and only had three turnovers while dishing 2 assists and grabbing a steal. Other players stepped up, and while IU was outdone by the Wolves on the Free Throw line, 13 of 18 to Indiana's 9 of 15; IU out rebounded its opponent as usual, and shot better. Overall TOs were 10 to 13 in favor of Michigan, but IU compensated, competed and won.
Next, a big game against an athletic and feisty Minnesota, also hurting from losses to a few teams that they want back, like Northwestern. Watch out for the Wildcats! But they have 11 losses overall, and still need a bunch more upsets (that should not happen) for them to get beyond the NIT.
IU's pre-conference record was a decent 9-3 with losses to UConn, Notre Dame and Syracuse, but their wins were against weaklings, except for middle of the road Washington Huskies (they have beaten a few good teams in the PAC 12). Tonight would help Indiana's RPI (weighted by Strength of Schedule) if the Irish could possibly knock off the #1 Orange. That would be a double bonus; Notre Dame has some of the best college basketball upsets of all time.
Meanwhile, as a BYU alum, I was comforted that the Cougars finally beat the pesky St. Mary's Gaels. In Provo, yes, but BYU trailed by 14 early and the visitors showed some pluck, especially a big guy who banged and fouled without much reproach. Meaning, he would back down his defenders with pushing and bumping (i.e. grinding), and then get bailed with the contact that came on the eventual shot. In my opinion refs have to be savvier to that. Contact either way creates an advantage, and they need to give the defense a break when offensive players go too crazy. You can't simply bang down your defenders and not expect contact on the shot. That, in my opinion, is having your cake and eating it, too.
Now, obvious fouls on the arms or face are another thing, but body contact should be neutral or a no-call if deemed as such prior to the shot attempt.
Anyway, BYU is 14-9 and decent in the WCC, at 6-4, so maybe they finish strong and go dancing. Should be interesting. Beating the Zags twice more and everyone else would help.
Okay, that is it for now.
Thanks for the nice smart phone check, Hoosiers. I did not watch or follow it, but it was a relief to see you could score more than 60 and hold a tough team (albeit without native Hoosier and last year Final Four hero Mitch McGary) Michigan to their lowest output of the year.
Go IU! Beat the Gophers. Saturday.
Blog it. EMC.
The Seattle Seahawks dominate the Denver Broncos in the Meadowlands of New York/New Jersey (excuse me commercial movers: MetLife Stadium?) and Peyton Manning is 1-2 in the biggest show in American football.
A notable actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman is found dead on his apartment toilet with a syringe in his arm at age 46. Also in New York, an artistic area of Greenwich Village.
Obamacare, or officially the "Affordable Health Care Act", is wending its way through hearts and minds, to very mixed results. A lot of people do feel lied to with low confidence in the president (POTUS) while others believe justice is being meted out.
We shall see.
But then there is college basketball.
Indiana beats MICHIGAN! Previously undefeated in the BiG10 (8-0) Wolverines. In Bloomington granted, yes a home game, but as previously blogged by yours truly, a large hurdle towards respectability. Going to the right dance in March, not the second tier.
We shall see.
I did blog about previously unblemished Arizona going down to the Cal Bears on Saturday (yay '76 IU team), and how it is up to both Syracuse and Wichita State to lose now in 2014 to keep that Bob Knight team intact, from a full generation ago, when I was barely old enough to remember.
Yogi Ferrell, sophomore extraordinaire, went 7 of 8 from three point land and only had three turnovers while dishing 2 assists and grabbing a steal. Other players stepped up, and while IU was outdone by the Wolves on the Free Throw line, 13 of 18 to Indiana's 9 of 15; IU out rebounded its opponent as usual, and shot better. Overall TOs were 10 to 13 in favor of Michigan, but IU compensated, competed and won.
Next, a big game against an athletic and feisty Minnesota, also hurting from losses to a few teams that they want back, like Northwestern. Watch out for the Wildcats! But they have 11 losses overall, and still need a bunch more upsets (that should not happen) for them to get beyond the NIT.
IU's pre-conference record was a decent 9-3 with losses to UConn, Notre Dame and Syracuse, but their wins were against weaklings, except for middle of the road Washington Huskies (they have beaten a few good teams in the PAC 12). Tonight would help Indiana's RPI (weighted by Strength of Schedule) if the Irish could possibly knock off the #1 Orange. That would be a double bonus; Notre Dame has some of the best college basketball upsets of all time.
Meanwhile, as a BYU alum, I was comforted that the Cougars finally beat the pesky St. Mary's Gaels. In Provo, yes, but BYU trailed by 14 early and the visitors showed some pluck, especially a big guy who banged and fouled without much reproach. Meaning, he would back down his defenders with pushing and bumping (i.e. grinding), and then get bailed with the contact that came on the eventual shot. In my opinion refs have to be savvier to that. Contact either way creates an advantage, and they need to give the defense a break when offensive players go too crazy. You can't simply bang down your defenders and not expect contact on the shot. That, in my opinion, is having your cake and eating it, too.
Now, obvious fouls on the arms or face are another thing, but body contact should be neutral or a no-call if deemed as such prior to the shot attempt.
Anyway, BYU is 14-9 and decent in the WCC, at 6-4, so maybe they finish strong and go dancing. Should be interesting. Beating the Zags twice more and everyone else would help.
Okay, that is it for now.
Thanks for the nice smart phone check, Hoosiers. I did not watch or follow it, but it was a relief to see you could score more than 60 and hold a tough team (albeit without native Hoosier and last year Final Four hero Mitch McGary) Michigan to their lowest output of the year.
Go IU! Beat the Gophers. Saturday.
Blog it. EMC.
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